Machinery for making barrels



Nov. 10, 1931. E. CRAIG MACHINERY FOR BAKING BARRELS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 7. 192.7

Nov. 10, 1931. E. CRAIG MACHINERY FOR MAKING BARRELS Filed Feb. 7. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 10, 1931.

E. CRAIG MACHINERY FOR MAKING BARRELS Filed Feb. 7. 1927 5 Sheet-Sheet 5 NOV. 10, 1931. CRAIG 1,831,653

MACHINERY FOR MAKING BARRELS Filed Feb. 7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 10, 1931. E. CRAIG MACHINERY FOR MAKING BARRELS Filed Feb. '7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 W 2 5 1 f a 2 u 1 m Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD CRAIG, 01 ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN; THE COMMERCIAL NATIONAL BANK, 0] ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN, EXECUTOR OF SAID EDWARD CRAIG, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO BARANAC MACHINE COMPANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

MACHINERY FOR MAKING BARRELS Application filed February 7, 1927. Serial No. 186,485.

This invention relates to machinery for making barrels, and more particularly to machinery for making Wire bound barrels or barrels having wire hoops or wire binding, either with or without other kinds of hoops, such as metal or wood hoops.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of barrel making mach ne, of the foregoing general character, having means for automatically stapling the bilge and bottom hoops at the same time, by practically one operation.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction, and novel combinations, tending to increase the general efficiency and the desirability of a barrel machine of this general character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a barrel machine embodying the principles of the invent on.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse, vertical section on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fi 3 is a perspective, on a larger scale, of the c incher block device by which the staples for the bottom hoops are clinched.

Fig. 4 is an enlar ed, end elevation of the machine shown in 1, or front elevation, as it may be called, wit certain parts omitted, and showing the barrel partly 111880131011.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, longitudinal section of the barrel and the expansible form for holding the barrel in position to be stapled, showing the staplers and other ad acent parts.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the barreland the supporting form therefor, on line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the finished barrel, showing a portion thereof in section.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail, sectional view of a portion of the barrel. I

As illustrated, thebarrel to be made, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, comprises the staves 1, the bottom hoops 2 and 3, the bilge hoops 4 and 5, and the top hoop 6,

substantially as shown. There are uiiferent ways, however, of using these different hoo s, either separately or in combination, and t e barrel may have two Wire bil e hoops, or all of the outside hoops 'ma be 0 merely wire, or the outside hoops may a 1 be of strap metal. The staples 7 are driven through the strap metal hoop 4, and are clinched on the inner surface of the barrel staves. The staples 8 are driven through the staves, crosswise of the wire hoop 5, and are clinched on the inner surface of the staves. The staples 9 are inserted through the wood hoop 2, or through a metal hoop, and through the staves 1, so that one leg 10 goes through the hoop and through the stave and into the bottom 11 of the barrel. The topsof these staples 9 ex tend crosswise of the wire hoop 12 which reinforces the hoop 2, and the other leg of each staple 9 is inserted throu h the hoop 2 and throu h the stave and t rough the inside wood the bottom of the barrel.

00p 3 which forms the inside rim of semble the staves 1 and the hoops 2 and 6 together in one machine, or by hand, and to then place the bilge barrel thus partially formed on another machine for applying the wire binding. 1 It is to the latter machine that the invention relates, and, as shown in the drawings, the machine is equi ped with three staplers 14, 15 and 16, whic are equippedto sta 1e three wires to the barrel, forming two bi ge hoops and one lower wire hoop for reinforcing the bottom hoo structure of the barrel. These staplers may e of any suitable known or approved character, and are operated simultaneously by the horizontal shaft 17 through the medium of suitable actuating means -18, such as ordinary eccentrics, disguides being mounted in blocks 21 which are pivoted on the statlonary body ortion of each stapler at 22, so that these gui es may be swung outwardly and upwardly when necessary. I here is a wire cutter 23 for each wire uide, pivoted thereto, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 1, and the three wire cutters are connected together by a link 24, and the cutter at the front end of the machine has its upper end provided with a handle 25 by which all three cutters may be operated simultaneously to sever the wire after the wire hoops are formed and stapled to the barrel.

For the clinching of the staples 9, on th inner surface of the hoop 3, a clinch block'26 is provided, this block being carried by an arm 27 which is pivoted at 28 on the stationary, lower portion of the stapler 14, as shown. The arm 27 also carries a spring 29 which bears against the outer edge of the hoop 3 to keep the latter crowded in tightly against the bottom 11 of the barrel, it being understood that this hoop 3 is fed into the machine by hand, until its end is in position to be caught and fastened in place by the first staple 9, and the intermittent rotation of the barrel then automatically feeds the rest of the hoop strip into position to be secured in place by the staples 9 in the manner shown. The

'sta lers 14, 15 and 16 drive the staples 9, 7

an 8, respectively the barrel being rotated intermittently until all the staples are driven, so that the intermittent, rotational feeding movements of the barrel alternate with the stapling operations, the barrel being stationary, of course, while the three staplers are simultaneously inserting three staples crosswise of the three wires. Each time that the staplers operate, the clinch block 26 serves to clinch one of the three staples simultaneously driven, and this clinch block remains in operative position until the barrel is finished. For the purpose of swinging the clinch block 26 into operative position, it is connected by a link 30 with a bell crank 31- which is pivoted on the stationar support 32 for the outer end of the sha t 17, and which has a handle 33 by which the clinch block is swun into operative position, and when this is one the pivotal points 34, 35 and 36 are in such relation that they form a toggle, with the tog le joint 35 just past the center, so that t e clinch block 26 is locked in operative pdsition, and is held in such position by the weight of the handle 33 in its lowered or substantially horizontal position. When the barrel is finished, the handle 33'is then swung up into the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the barrel can be removed from the machine.

The shaft 17 is rotated by power communicated thereto, by any suitable means, such as the pulley 37 loosely mounted thereon, through a suitable clutch mechanism 38, there being various clutches, such as ord1- nary pin clutches, that can be used for this purpose, and which is controllable by a rod 39 through the medium of a foot edal 40 suitably connected thereto. In t is way, when said foot pedal is depressed, the shaft 17 is started, and continues to rotate as long as this edal is held down, thus operatin the stap ers until the foot pedal is release .For the pur ose of supporting and rotating the barre intermittently, during the stapling operation, a form is rovided, comprising the hollow shaft 41 suitably mounted in bearings in the pedestal forming the bod of the machine. This shaft is provided with a gear 42 fixed thereon, and a mutilated pinion 43, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, disposed in position to engage the said gear, this pinion being mounted on a shaft 44 suitably mounted in bearings in said pedestal. It will be seen that the pinion 43 has but one tooth, and it will be seen that the teeth on the gear 42 are so formed that the pinion 43 can make almost a complete rotation before actuating the gear, the pinion and the gear in effect forming a sort of Geneva movement, so called. With this arrangement, therefore, it will require as many rotations of the pinion 43, to give the shaft 41 a complete rotation, as there are teeth on the gear 42, and it will be understood that with this rotation the intermittent rotational feed movements of the barrel will be of the same number as the number of staples to be driven on the wire 5, for example, inasmuch as the barrel must be rotated partially after-each of the staples 8 is driven crosswise of said wire. The shaft 41 is provided with radial toggles 45 pivoted at 46 on rings 47 mounted on the shaft in any suitable manner. These toggles carry clinch blocks 48 and 49 at their outer ends, to clinch the staples 7 and 8, respectively. The toggles are connected together by links 50 and 51, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and the links 51 have their outerends connected to the radial arms 52, which are fixed on the end of the rod 53 extending axially inv the shaft 41 previously mentioned. The member 54 is I keyed on the outer end of the shaft 41, and the member 55 is keyed on the shaft 41 adjacent the gear 42, as shown. The member 56 is also keyed on the shaft at a point adjacent the clinch blocks 49, and in this way the members 54 and 56 are disposed in osition to provide guides 57 and 58 for the clinch blocks 48 and 49, respectively, so that these clinch blocks slide radially in said guides when the toggles 45 are operated by endwise movement of the rod 53, in a manner that will be readily understood. As shown in Fi 5, the rod 53 has been pushed to the le so as to straighten the toggles 45, thereby expanding the diameter of the clinch blocks 48 and 49 collectively, so to s eak, and push them against the inner si es of the barrel. The clinch blocks 48 and 49 have pins 59 to enbarrel and its supporting means, and the finished .barrel can then be removed from the machine.

Of course, before the barrel can be removed from the machine, the handle 25, prev ously mentioned, must be operated to cause the cutters to out the three wires simultaneously, it bein observed that in Fig. 7 the opposite ends of each wire hoop arecaused to overlap. suflicientlyto form a strong joint to mamtain the continuit of each w1re hoop.

The rod 53 can e operated manually, or it can be operated by power, and as shown'the latter method is employed. For the purose, the end of the rod 53'is connected by a ink with the lower end of the arm 61, which latter is pivoted at its upper end at 62 on a stationary portion 63 of the body frame of the machine. This arm 61 has a proiection 64 which is connected by a pitmanike connection 65 with the crank pin 66 on the crank plate 67, which latter is fixed on the outer end of the horizontal shaft 68 mounted in a suitable bearing on the body frame of the machine. This shaft 68 has a gear 69 on the inner end thereof, and this gear engages a pinion 7 O loosely mounted on the shaft 17 but having power connection to the loosely mounted pulley 37 throu h the medium of the clutch 71, of any suita le character. The clutch 71 is connected by a rod 7 2 to the foot pedal 73, in any suitable or desired manner, so that by pressing down on this pedal power will be communicated to the pinion and from the latter to the car 69, and then through the pitman 65 to t e arm 61, and then to the rod 53, thereby to cause the expansion of the clinch block mechanism within the barrel, as previously explained, or to cause contraction of this mechanism when the barrel is finished. A friction brake device 74, of any suitable character, is applied to the clutch mechanism between the pinion 70 and the pulley 37, whereby the pinion 70 is stopped in the desired position to either hold the clinch block mechanism in the barrel expanded, or to hold this mechanism contracted. In this way, the clinch block mechanism for insertion in the barrelwill remain expanded until the barrel is finished, and by pressing down the pedal 73 the rod 53 will then be caused to move to the right, and said clinch block mechanism is contracted to the condition thereof shown in 1 of the drawings.

. Vire for the staples is fed through the tubes 75,-there being one of these tubes for each of the staplers, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, by suitable feed mechanism 76 operated by a ratchet mechanism 7 common to all of said feed devices, this ratchet mechanism being operated by a connection 78 extending there rom to the shaft 17, which connection has a roller 79 to engage the cam 80 on said shaft, whereby the three wire feed devices.

for the staplers are actuated intermittently and simultaneously to feed the wire .forward immediately after each feeding operation, thereby tofeed fresh wire into the staplers for the formation of the next three staples to be formed and driven simultaneously.

The shaft 44 can be rotated by any suitable means, but as shown is operated by a link belt connection 81 therefrom to the shaft 17, so that when the shaft 17 rotates, the shaft 44 will also rotate, in the desired relation to each other, thereby to intermittently rotate the shaft 41 in the manner explained.

Thus it will be seen that the wire is severed before all of the staples are driven, and that the remaining staples are then driven to secure the severedend portions of the wires in place, the rotation of the barrel continuing long enough to cause the insertion of staples straddling of the overlap of the end portions of each wire hoop. Thus the leading end portion of each wire is held in place by one set of staples, and the rear or overlapping end portion of each wire is held in place by staples.

which straddle both end portions, whereby each overlap is firmly secured in place.

The invention provides, therefore, means for receiving an assembly of staves and one barrel head arranged in bilge barrel form,

and for engagement inside the barrel with the staves to support the assembly, so that the staves-support the headband provides means for rotating such assem ly about the axis of the barrel to permit fastening operations thereon, whereby the assembly is fastened together and reduced to permanent barrel form.

Without disclaiming anything, and without prejudice to any novelty disclosed, what I claim as my invention'is:

1. In machinery for making barrels, the

combination of stave supporting mechanism having means for receiving and supporting an assembly of one barrel head and separately formed barrel staves in previously arranged bilge barrel form, with the edges of all the staves tightly together, and with the sides of the barrel bulging outward to form the bilge thereof, means for guiding outside bilge hoop and bottom hoop members into position to be attached on the outer surface of the staves,

means for rotating the stave supporting mechanism to wind the hoop members around the barrel, and devices for at the same time stapling through the staves and thereby progressively attaching the bilge and bottom hoops in place on the barrel.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination w-ith an anvil adapted to support the bottom end portions of the-staves and to clinch the'staples of the bottom hoop adjacent said head.

3. A structure as s ified in claim 1, one of said stapling devices being disposed in position to insert staples with one leg of each staple passing through the staves and into the bottom head of the barrel in combination with an anvil for clinching the other legs of said staples outside said head.

4. A structure as s ecified in claim 1, said means for guiding ilge and bottom hoop members comprising means for feeding wire into position for each hoop, said stapling devices being adapted to insert staples straddling of said wires, in combination with means to cut the wires a length to cause the end ortions of each wire hoop to overlap each ot er, said staplers being operative to insert staples straddling of the overlap of each bilge hoop and of the bottom hoop.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, said mechanism comprising a rotary shaft and stave engaging means disposed in the planes of the bilge hoops and movable toward and away from said rotary shaft, and controlling means including an axial member movable in said shaft toward the plane of the bottom hoop to move said stave engaging means into engagement with the inner surfaces of the staves.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1, said mechanism having stave engaging means to make dents in the inner surfaces of staves to prevent relative rotation between said mechanism and the barrel, serving to hold the barrel stationary while staples are clinched directly on the inner surface of staves.

7. A structure as specified in claim 1, said mechanism stopping short of said head and being expansible topermit insertion of the partially formed barrel in the machine, and being contractable to permit the removal of the finished barrel.

8. In a barrel machine, the combination of means for holding assembled staves and a barrel head in position, a stapler for inserting staples through an outside bottom hoop of the barrel, and a clinching device for clinching end portions of said staples adjacent said head, together with means for rotating the barrel relatively to said clinching device, said stapler being disposed in position to insert the staples with one leg of each staple passing through the staves and into the end head of the barrel, and with the other legs of the staples in position to be clinched upon the inner periphery of an inside bottom hoop disposed between the bottom barrel head and the end edges of the staves.

9. In a barrel machine, the combination of means for holding assembled staves and a barrel head in position, a stapler for inserting staples through'an outside bottom hoop of the barrel, and a clinchin device for clinchin end portions of sai staples ad- -jacent said head, together with means for rotating the barrel relatively to said clinching device, said clinchin device comprising a swinging anvil mova 1e into and out of engagement with the barrel, having an operative position whereby the same anvil is engageable with successive staples, and movable into plosition to permit removal of the finished arr 10. In barrel making machinery, a barrel form supported at one end only and adapted to receive a barrel having its bottom head in place, comprising inside bil e barrel stave engaging means expansible mto direct operative engagement with the inner surfaces of the barrel staves, said form being shorter than the barrel, a rotary shaft upon which said form is splined, and operatlng means comprising an axial element movable in said shaft toward said bottom head of the barrel to expand said stave engaging means into direct engagement with the staves, and movable in the opposite direction and toward the supported end of the form to release and permit removal of the barrel.

11. A structure as specified in claim 10, comprising means providing radial guides and toggles for said stave engaging means, each guide being disposed in a plane between its allotted toggle and the bottom head end of the form.

12. In a barrelmachine, the combination of a rotary barrel support, staplers for stapling hoopsto the barrel, a gear rigid with the axial portion of said barrel support, a pinion engaging said. gear, means for rotating said pinion, said pinion being formed to produce intermittent .or step by step rotation of said gear, and means for controlling the rotation of said pinion.

13. In barrel making machinery, the combination of a stapler, a rotary form to support the barrel in position to receive the staples, means for feeding a wire to form an encirclmg hoop for the barrel in position to be, stapled to the barrel, and a cutter for cutting the wire to form a hoop with lapping end portions, said stapler disposed in position to insert staples straddling the overlap of said wire end portions.

14. A structure as specified in claim 13, in combination with anothersimilar stapler and wire feeding means, to form another stapled hoop for the barrel, and a similar cutter for the additional stapler, together with means for coupling the cutters together for simultaneous operation thereof.

15. A structure as specified in claim 13, said cutter being pivoted to tilt upwardly out of the way about an axis extending parallel with the axis of the rotary barrel form.

16. A structure as specified in claim 13,

said cutter being disposed at one side of said stapler, and a Wire feed at the other side of the said stapler to feed wire from which the staples are made.

17. A structure as specified in claim 13, in combination with a movable anvil mounted to be moved into position to clinch points of said staples and movable into position to permit removal of the barrel from the machine.

18. In barrel making machinery, the combination of a rotary barrel support, a stapler disposed in position to insert staples in the side of the barrel, having means for feed ing wire to form a hoop for the barrel, adapted 'to insert the staples straddling of the wire hoop to fasten the leading end of the wire in position to cause the rotation of the barrel to feed the wire until it encircles the barrel, means for cutting the wire long enou h to cause the rear end portion to overlap t e leading end portion, and means for rotating the barrel support to cause staples to be driven at intervals over the entire hoop and witlrone or. more of the staples straddling of the overlap.

19. In machinery for making wire bound containers, the combination of means for holding the materials to be wired together, a stapler, and means for feeding binding wire into position to be stapled to the said materials, a cutter for severing the Wire before all of the staples are driven to secure the wire in place, and means for moving the workholding means a distance to permit said stapler to insert staples to secure the severed end portion of said wire to the work.

20. A structure as specified in claim 19, said workholding means being movable in a manner to cause the end portions of the wire to overlap each other, and to cause the final staples to be driven straddling of the overlap. v

21. In a machine for making wire bound containers, the combination of a stapler for inserting staples to secure the wire binding in place, means for feeding the wire binding, means for severing the binding before all of the staples necessary for securing the binding in place are driven, and. means for causing the driving of staples after the severing operation to complete the fastening of'the bindin to the container.

22. barrel machine comprising rotary means formed and adapted to'rec'eive an assembly of staves and one barrel head in bilge barrel form, and to support the assembly b engagement with theistaves inside the barre devices-for performing fastening operations on said assembly, and instrumentalities for rotatin said assembly supporting means about t eaxis of the barrel to pernut operation of said devices thereon.

23. A structure as specified in claim 22, said devices comprising means for inserting fasteners through the staves and into said barrel head, with means external of the barrel for supporting the staves and thereby supporting the head in position to receive said fasteners.

24. A structure as specified in claim 22, said devices comprising means for inserting fasteners through the staves in position to keep said barrel head in place, with means external of the barrel for supporting the staves and thereby supporting the head in position to receive said fasteners.

25. A structure as specified in claim 22, said devices comprising a stapler disposed in position to insert staples in position to secure bottom hoops externally of the barrel upon the outer and inner surfaces of said staves.

26. A structure as specified in claim 22, said devices comprising a stapler disposed in position to insert staples in position to secure bottom hoops upon the outer and inner surfaces of said staves, causing one leg of each staple to be clinched on the inner bottom hoop, and causing the other leg of each staple to enter said barrel head.

g 27. In a machine for makin receptacles or containers, the combination ofia rotary form for holding the receptacle with its bottom wall in position to receive staples through the bottom rim of the receptacle, to fasten said bottom in place, stapling means operative to insert said staples with some of the points thereof in said bottom wall, and staple clinching means engageable with the inside of said rim outside of said bottom to clinch other points of said staples.

28. A structure as specified in claim 27 said stapling and clinching means being adapted to co-operate to fasten concentric outside and inside hoops to said rim.

29. A structure as specified in claim 27, said clinching means bearing against said bottom v wall.

30. A structure as specified in claim 27, said clinching means being movable into and out of operative position, thereby to permit removal of the receptacle from said form.

. EDWARD CRAIG.

Specification signed this 31st day of J an., I 

